The darkness in the room
by starlightsmuse
Summary: Just a bit of conjecture about the upcoming elevator episode. B/B fluff oneshot.


"Look, Bones, it's not always about the truth."

"I disagree. I think the truth is always the most important thing for us to find out. We couldn't catch murderers without it."

They step into the elevator and the doors slide closed behind them. Booth presses the button for Lobby, and they start their descent, still arguing.

"Well, the truth is, I really don't care why Hannah said no. The point is that she never intended to say yes."

"So she says right now. But, come on Booth, you can't honestly be satisfied with that. If it were me, I would want to know precisely - "

"You know what, Bones? I really don't want to talk about Hannah, right now. Or at all, for that matter. What is taking this elevator so long? We're only two floors up."

"I believe we've stopped moving. The light in the number display has gone off. Try pushing it again."

Booth presses L several more times, eager to get out of the elevator, and the awkward conversation it has lead to. It would appear, however, that luck is not on his side. The elevator will not move. He pushes another button, fine with just going back to the second floor and walking down, but still nothing happens. He presses the button for the intercom as well, still nothing. He sighs, and slides down the wall, sitting on the floor.

"Well, Bones, looks like we're stuck. Pull up some floor, hopefully we won't be here too long."

It is at this point that the lights go out. It looks as though help is not exactly on the way any time soon. A phone rings.

"Brennan."

"Sweetie, it's Angela. Is the power out where you guys are?"

"That would make sense, given that Booth and I are currently stuck in an elevator at the FBI building."

"Ah. Interesting development, but not why I'm calling. Power is down at the Jeffersonian, and the generators aren't enough to run all our equipment. We were hoping you would have some kind of solution for us. What with the murder to solve and all?"

"Yes, this is going to be quite difficult. Is it possible for you to run an x-ray? Mr Nigel-Murray might have some thoughts on the subject. He tends to be a font of useless knowledge."

"Okay, sweetie, I'll talk to him. Good luck in the elevator."

"Thanks Ange. Let me know how the x-ray goes."

Brennan hangs up the phone, and speaks into the darkness again.

"Booth? That was the lab. They are also without power, so I think we might have to help solve this case from in here."

Booth responds by what sounds like stomping his foot.

"I hate being cooped up like this when there is a murderer out there running free."

"We don't know that it's a murder yet, and even it is, the murderer could be stuck in an elevator, just like we are, rather than running free."

"Haha, Bones, really funny. Let's play a game while we wait for the Jeffersonian to call back."

"Alright, what game would you like to play?"

Booth produces a quarter from his pocket, and holds it up in response. Considering that it is pitch black, Brennan doesn't react in any way.

"Oh, right, you can't tell that I'm holding up a quarter. Okay, so here's the game. We start off in the middle of the elevator, and try to throw the quarter to each other. If we catch it, we move farther apart; if we miss we move closer together."

"Okay, is this a sitting game or a standing game?"

"Well let's try it sitting first, and hopefully it won't come to us playing standing as well. So you should move to the middle of the elevator now."

"Booth, it's dark, how will we be able to tell where the middle is?"

"It doesn't have to be the exact center, Bones. Just follow my voice."

She stands up, and steps toward him.

"Okay is this better?"

"I don't know. I can't see you. Hold out your hand."

She does. It is close enough to touch his with their elbows bent.

He gulps.

"Yeah I would say that is close enough, so now we sit down."

They sit.

"Let the games begin."

He can make out the outline of a woman about a foot away from himself.

"Ready, Bones?"

"Ready."

He drops the quarter into her hand.

"Round one, success. So now just slide back a tiny bit."

They both slide back. The distance between them is now maybe a foot and a half. She tosses the quarter back to him. He catches it as well. Within five minutes, they have made their way back to the farthest corners of the elevator. There have been no new developments in either the power or the phone call front.

"Booth, are you sure you don't want to talk about Hannah?"

"Bones, seriously. I'm over it. I can handle rejection just fine. Let's just keep playing the game, okay?"

"Okay, but can we try it standing up? I would rather not slide around the floor on my ass."

"Yeah, okay, standing up then. And let's try starting from here and moving in if we make the catch. That should make things more interesting.

Brennan agrees and lobs the quarter over.

Booth catches it with ease. They each take a step forward. He tosses it back to her, but she misses. They step back to their respective corners. He catches it again. They step forward. The game develops a rhythm.

"Nice catch, Bones."

"It's like a dance. I am an excellent dancer, you know."

"I do know that, Bones."

They are only two feet away by now. She tosses him the coin. He purposefully misses, because this is the only entertainment they have, and it wouldn't be fun if they just caught it every time. Not that it was all that fun regardless, but it was better than talking about Hannah.

They took their requisite step back, and he throws the coin back to her. She caught it, of course. She wanted to win, although it would be rather hard to declare a winner in this type of game. She tosses it to him again, and he makes the catch. Gotta keep her on her toes. They are about a foot away now. To take a step closer, they would certainly be touching. She holds out her hand, and he drops the coin in. They are about to step forward when her phone rings again. This causes them both to jump halfway out of their skin, and the effect is ruined.

"Brennan."

"Okay, sweetie, we got the x-ray done, and it was not easy. So, now what?"

"Good, that's very good. Can you describe the bones to me please? Or, have Mr Nigel-Murray do it, if it's easier for him."

There is silence on the line while the phone is transferred to Mr Nigel-Murray, who asks what Dr Brennan would like to know about the bones. She requests that he inform her of anything that looks like an injury.

Mr Nigel-Murray starts listing off all the injuries, and describing them as best he can. Finally she tells him that they'll need to run more tests and hangs up the phone.

"Did you want to go back to playing the game?" she asks.

"Sure, did you want to start from the walls, or take up where we were?"

"Well, it seems silly to have made all that progress just to go back to the start."

"Okay, well in that case, I think we were about here," he says, and she knows he is right, because she can feel his breath on her ear.

"Weren't we supposed to take a step closer?" she whispers.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," he breathes.

They take a step toward each other. Her breath catches in her throat. Goosebumps run up her arms. She is breathing into his shoulder.

"Now what?" she says.

"Well, I don't think we can get much closer, so I guess the game ends?"

"Actually, you're about six inches taller than me. We would be closer if you leaned down a bit."

"Okay, that's one option. Or, we could dance. Like slow dance."

"But there's no music."

"Just shut up and dance with me, Bones."

"Okay."

He puts his hands on her hips, she breathes in sharply. She places her arms around his neck. They sway back and forth.

"This is nice," she says. "I still think we could be closer if you would lean down."

He swallows and tilts his head down toward hers. There, his lips meet hers, as she has been looking up at him, even in the dark. They are finally in the same place, and now they are kissing passionately, so much so that he has her slammed against the wall, and they haven't noticed that the lights have come back on.

Finally, they release each other, and he tells her that he had never really moved on.

"That's why I don't want to talk about Hannah, Bones. I'd rather live in the moment. And at the moment, I'm with you."


End file.
